'Breathe, Granger.'

'I'm trying.' He ignored the snap in her tone, knowing that it wasn't intentionally aimed at him. He stepped closer to her, his hand found hers, and he took it gently, waiting until she looked up at him. The fingers of her other hand were playing with her lower lip, and the worry was clear in her golden brown eyes.

'It'll be OK,' he said, releasing her hand and quickly checking if anyone was walking behind them. They were heading into Hogsmeade, and had arranged to leave the castle at a time when most of the other students would have already arrived at the village. The road behind and before them was empty. But he still pushed his hands deep into the pockets of his grey wool coat in an attempt to stifle the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulder, to comfort her. The anxiety was already rolling off her in waves, and he didn't want to do anything that might add to that right now. They kept walking, trudging through the melting snow side by side.

'But what if they don't react well?' she blurted. 'Or what if they mis-understand, and think it's some kind of trick? What if they think you've hexed me, and attack you before I get the chance to - '

'Granger.' His voice was quiet but firm. It was enough, as she stopped talking and lowered her shoulders. He waited until she had taken a deep breath, and dropped her hand from her mouth, before continuing, 'Everything will be fine. I anticipate that it may be a little ... uncomfortable, but we're all big boys and girls now. Even Weasley isn't stupid enough to start an all-out brawl in such a public place.' He felt more than saw the glare she shot him.

'That's another thing. Please try not to antagonise anyone? I know there's a lot of history there, but if you behave, then they should too.'

'Well, we'll just have to see how well-leashed Ginevra can keep her brother and her lover, won't we?'

'I'm serious, Draco. At least promise you'll try?' She looked up at him, her eyes pleading. The cold January wind whipped her hair around her head, a few stray curls blowing into her face, and he had to dig his short nails into his palms to stop himself from reaching out to brush them away. When had it become this hard to not touch her? He let out a sigh, letting the Malfoy mask dissolve under her gaze.

'Anything you say, Princess.' She smiled at him warmly, then her eyes lighted on the pub ahead of them and she started to chew her lip again. As they paused outside, he couldn't help but reach out and tug her lip from between her teeth with his thumb, cupping her face briefly and giving her an encouraging nod. She smiled faintly up at him, then turned slightly pale as he grasped the door and held it open for her.

They entered the Three Broomsticks, and Hermione immediately stopped just inside the doorway. He looked down at her, then followed her gaze. At a table in the corner sat Potter, Weasley and Ginevra. They seemed in good spirits as they joked between them, and he had to push away his own twinge of apprehension. Hermione had tasked Ginevra with bringing the boys here today to meet her new boyfriend, but had been careful not to give anything away about who it was, saying that she wanted it to be a surprise. And a surprise he was absolutely sure it would be.

The trio hadn't seen them yet, but he could feel the tension building around Hermione again already. He gently placed his hand at the small of her back, and her eyes sought his, anxiety flashing across her face once more.

'This had to be done sooner or later,' he murmered. She nodded, took another deep breath, then marched towards the table, her chin held high. He smiled as the strength she always showed in these situations returned, and followed a couple of paces behind her, returning his hands firmly to his pockets. He didn't know how this was going to go, but he knew that he would not be accused of escalating things.

As they neared the table, Weasley looked up, caught sight of them, and sprang from his chair, knocking it to the floor, a thunderous look on his face. Draco suppressed an eye roll. Always so bloody dramatic, this family.

'You've got to be fucking joking!' Weasley snarled, stepping away from the table and squaring up to him. Draco couldn't resist.

'What's the matter, Weasley?' he drawled, one eyebrow raised. 'Surprised that she's finally playing in her own league?' Out of the corner of his eye he saw Potter wince, and Weasley's ears immediately turned scarlet as he stepped closer. He had opened his mouth to retort, when something moved in between them. Draco looked down at the mane of wild curls in front of him, then back up at Weasley, one corner of his lips curling upwards. He'd have felt bad for the guy, knowing what he was about to be on the receiving end of, if Draco didn't know what he did about the way their relationship had played out.

'That's enough, Ronald.' She was bristling, one hand clenched in a fist at her side, the other pointing a finger in his face. 'I told you I was bringing my boyfriend to meet you today, and you all promised to be open minded about that!'

'Yeah, but I didn't think that you'd be this bloody stupid, 'Mione!' he bawled, gesturing over her head in Draco's general direction.

'Watch your mouth, Weasley,' he growled, irritated by both the insult to her intelligence and the use of the nickname.

'Shove it, Malfo - '

'And you!' She rounded on him, and he instantly pulled his hands out of his coat, holding them up in surrender. He vaguely registered the smirk Weasley flashed him at this turn of events. 'I told you how important this was to me. You promised.' Her eyes were slightly hurt, and he dropped his hands with a resigned sigh.

'I know. I'm sorry. I'll just, er, go and get us all some drinks.' He turned and slunk off to the bar, annoyed with himself that he'd let Weasley get under his skin so quickly, frustrated at how easily that old Malfoy personna had re-surfaced. He stood at the bar, just close enough to still hear the conversation at their table, and from his position he was able to watch them without detection.

She sat down with them, next to Weasley and across from Potter, leaving him an empty seat on the other side of her. She had shrugged off her thick brown coat, but he noticed that she'd kept on the scarf that McGonagall had given her for Christmas. It didn't seem to be helping much. She was looking down at her hands, fidgetting in her lap. His whole body itched to comfort her.

Ginevra broke the awkward silence at the table.

'Malfoy.' It wasn't a question.

'He's changed.' He watched as she lifted her head and defiantly stared back at them all, and his heart swelled with pride. He heard Weasley snort, and bit back a chuckle as Ginevra swiftly kicked him under the table. The red-head shot her a glare, rubbing his shin, before turning back to Hermione.

'How can you trust him, 'Mione? After everything he's done?' Draco tried not to flinch as the boy voiced his own insecurities.

'Do shut up, Ronald,' Ginvera sighed, but Weasley just glowered at her and continued.

'How do you know he's not just playing some long game?'

'Because I've spent nearly every day with him for the past two months. I've seen the damage the war did to him, first hand. And I've seen how it's changed him. He's not the boy we knew, despite that immature little comment before.' She sniffed, and he wondered if she knew he was listening. Then her voice dropped. 'And because he helped me with this.' He looked away as she lifted her left sleeve. He heard her friends gasp as they saw the changed scar, and he used the pause in their conversation to place his order with the barkeeper, trying to distract himself until she had pulled her sleeve down again. Even though it was so much better than it had been, the mark was still there. She seemed to think he had fulfilled his promise, but privately he still felt it wasn't good enough, still felt the need to find something that would erase it entirely.

'I've noticed a change, too.' Draco fought against his eyebrows raising in surprise. Ginevra hadn't said more than 10 words to him since their return to school, and she was going to defend him? 'He really does seem different. He still sweeps about like he owns the place, but the disgust and disdain he used to look at everyone with is gone. He's been quite pro-active in helping younger students this year, and he hasn't even bothered to try out for Quidditch, so there's been no showing off of family riches or anything.' She paused, letting this sink in, then she continued in a much softer voice. 'And I've noticed a change in you, Hermione.'

'Me?' He saw her stiffen ever so slightly.

'Yes. At the start of term you seemed so ... lost. Broken, almost. You weren't eating a lot, and I could tell you weren't sleeping. You spoke to us, but it was like you were just going through the motions. I was starting to worry that the effects of ... of last year, had finally caught up. But these last few weeks, I don't know, it's like the candle has been lit again. And if he's the reason for that, then I'll support you.' Hermione reached across the table, and the younger girl grasped her hand firmly.

'OK.' Potter was looking levelly at Hermione, and Weasley gaped at him.

'OK? Seriously? You can't tell me you trust the slimy git!'

'Well, maybe not yet,' he said. 'But I do trust 'Mione. She's had better judgement of most people than either of us for years. If she says he's changed, then I'm willing to give him the chance to prove himself.' He looked squarely at Weasley, how scowled at the table momentarily then sighed.

'Fine,' he grunted, then looked up at Hermione. 'That being said, if the ferret faced fucker does anything, anything at all, to hurt you in any way, then he'll have to face the full force of the Weasleys. You're one of us, 'Mione. Ginny might say he's really changed, but I'll reserve my judgement until I see it for myself.'

Hermione laughed, and she threw her arms around Weasley. He hugged her back tightly, and Draco fought against a pang of jealousy as he scooped up 5 mugs of Butterbeer and headed back to the table. He placed them down in the centre and sank into the empty seat next to Hermione, his heart leaping as she grinned at him, relaxed and happy.

He grabbed one of the drinks and sat back in his chair, watching the friends as they struck up conversation with blatant familiarity. Weasley began to tease her about what his mum was going to say, and both Hermione and Ginevra rounded on him, threatening all manner of hexes if he told Molly before Hermione did. He smiled to himself as he watched the animated exchange.

'So,' he heard someone next to him say. He turned to find Potter surveying him carefully, obviously used to tuning out the chaos that was taking place at the other end of the table.

'So.' He put down his Butterbeer, playing with a bead of condensation that rolled down the side of the glass, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He realised that he was mentally preparing to fight, to argue his case. Almost as though he needed their acceptance of him as permission.

'This is a turn up for the books,' Potter sighed, smiling to himself.

Draco frowned at the unfamiliar Muggle saying, but thought he got enough of the gist of its meaning to hazard, 'It caught me just as much by surprise as the rest of you, believe me.' Potter chuckled, and nodded. Draco shot him a cautious look. 'So you're really ... OK with this?'

'Ginny's right,' he replied, leaning forward slightly and lowering his voice so that Hermione couldn't hear. 'We all knew something wasn't right. She just seemed to ... disappear for a while, there. But now, well, she seems a lot better than I've seen her in months, and anything that can do that for her ... it's got to be more important than petty childhood grudges.'

'You love her.' The realisation hit Draco as he observed Potter watching her, his eyes warm. He looked back at him, meeting Draco's gaze steadily.

'She's my sister,' he said simply, shrugging. 'We've been through so much together. I love her more than almost anyone. And I know the damage she can do. If you ever do hurt her, then we wouldn't be able to find enough of what's left of you to do anything, anyway.' His face was serious, but his green eyes danced behind his glasses, and Draco was surprised at the chuckle that he heard escape his own throat.

'Oh believe me, I know,' he said, looking fondly at Hermione as she punched Weasley's arm for some rye comment. 'The power in that one is unbelievable. I have no intention of ever finding out the destruction she could inflict.' He looked back at Potter, who nodded, then turned away to rejoin the conversation. Draco felt something tickle his knee under the table, and he shifted subtly so that he could take her hand, twining his fingers around hers and squeezing.

They drank together for a few hours, Draco mostly just listening to the old friends as they shared stories of the past and updates of their lives. Potter and Weasley were training to be Aurors, and he had to laugh at their tales of the brutatily of training. Gradually, he was included more into their conversations, and found it easy to find a place among them as they teased and joked with one another.

Eventually, Hermione stood, declaring that she needed to finish a paper. The others groaned, but let her go, standing to hug her as she left. He was very surprised when Ginevra turned to him and hugged him as well.

'Thank you,' she murmered in his ear, so that no-one else could hear. 'I was really worried about her.' He couldn't reply with everyone staring at them, the shock clear on their faces, so he just tightened the hug imperceptibly in acknowledgement before letting her go.

'You'll understand if I don't hug you, Malfoy,' Weasley said, staring at his sister as though he feared for her sanity.

'Never say never, Weasley,' he replied, flashing him a smile, and placed his hand on Hermione's back again. 'Stranger things have happened.' Potter chuckled at this, and Draco steered Hermione out of the pub as she waved goodbye. Once outside, she grasped his hand and let out a long sigh.

'Well, that went better than expected,' he smirked, and saw her roll her eyes.

'Yes, at least it didn't come down to handbags at dawn.' He frowned at the expression, and she laughed. They spent their journey back to the castle discussing the differences between Muggle and Wizarding duels.

They were both feeling quite drained when they returned to their common room, the adrenaline of the meeting having finally worn off. They shed their coats and scarves and outdoor boots at the coatracks by the door, and made their way together into the warm, familiar circle of chairs. He was pleased that she looked so content, happy not to be keeping the secret from those closest to her any longer. He sank into his armchair, and watched as she went to stand by the fire, staring into the flames.

'Everything alright, Princess?' She turned to him, and his groin throbbed at the seductive expression on her face.

'Oh yes, Draco, more than alright.' She began to prowl towards him slowly, and he gulped as she raised her wand at him. She cast a silent spell, and he yelped as his clothes disappeared. She smirked, and raised her hands to wind her curls around her wand, securing her hair to the back of her head. She continued, 'In fact, I was just thinking that you deserve a reward for how well you did today, despite your mouth getting the better of you at first.'

She raised one eyebrow, and he tried his best to look sheepish, but it was hard to focus on his expression right now. His body was already responding to her words and the look on her face. He was always semi-hard whenever he was around her, but he could feel himself growing quickly. She stepped between his legs and cupped his jaw, tilting his head up so that she could press a deep, sensual kiss to his mouth. Her tongue flickered across his lips, and he opened to let her in, to let his tongue meet hers, but she immediately pulled away, tugging him back with a hand twined into his pale blonde locks.

'Tease,' he grunted, staring up at her, and her eyes flashed with mischief. He gripped the arms of his chair as she released him, raised her hands to the buttons of her blouse and began to undo them slowly, one by one. With each button, more of her soft skin was exposed, and he had to grit his teeth against the impulse to reach up and rip the shirt from her.

Her eyes roamed his body as her shirt fell from her arms, and he felt his skin prickle wherever her gaze touched. She lingered around his cock, standing stiff and upright, and caught her lip between her teeth. He felt himself throb in response, and her eyes flicked back to his, lust flashing across her face. He let out a noise that was very close to a whimper, and the grin she gave him made him light-headed.

Her hands slipped behind her and she made short work of undoing her bra, flinging it to the side and smirking when his eyes dropped to her chest. He shifted in his chair, fighting to stay still, wanting to enjoy the show for as long as possible.

'You look uncomfortable, Love,' she purred, her fingers now tugging at the button on her jeans. She pushed them down her hips, and stepped out of them, leaning forwards as she kicked them away. She braced her hands against the arms of his chair, and bent down towards his ear, her breasts swinging slightly with her movement. Draco was now painfully hard, and he had to bite the inside of his mouth to stop himself groaning at just the scent of her. He couldn't hold back the hiss as she traced his ear with her tongue, then whispered, 'But don't you worry. I'm going to take care of you tonight.'

'Is that so?' he growled, unable to resist any longer. He wrapped his hands around her wrists and pulled her forwards. She fell against him, and quickly bent her knees, scrambling into his lap, one leg either side of his thighs. He looked up at her triumphantly, only for his jaw to drop and his eyes to roll into his head as she ground against his member. The lilac knickers she still wore were wet at the crotch, and she breathed out hard as his shaft slipped against her folds.

'Naughty boy. So impatient,' she murmered, and with surprising agility she pulled one of her hands free and reached behind her head. She freed her wand, her hair tumbling about her face, and before he could act she had silently waved it at him again. Something wrapped around his wrists, and pulled them back down to the arms of his chair. His ankles were similarly immobolised, and he fought the bonds uselessly.

'Granger,' he growled in warning, but to his surprise his tone was heavy with lust. This was a very new situation for him, and he found his body responding favourably. She grinned down at him, clearly enjoying his response to her taking control, for once.

'Much better.' She dropped her wand to the floor and leaned into him again, running the tip of her tongue slowly up the side of his neck, her breasts pressed firmly against his chest. His arms strained against the bonds, the need to feel more of her skin was overwhelming, but he was getting nowhere fast. Then she bit him, sinking her teeth into the soft flesh of his throat, sucking it into her mouth. Marking him. Claiming him.

'Fuck! Hermione, please ... '

'Mmm, I can see now why you enjoy hearing me beg,' she said, sitting back on his thighs and grinding down against him again, pulling another strangled noise from him. 'Let me hear you, Draco. What do you want?'

'You,' he breathed, his eyes locked on hers. 'Always you. All of you. I can't get enough of you, Granger.' He heard the desperation in his own voice, but he didn't care. He was desperate. She looked at him for what felt like a long time, apparently debating continuing her game. Suddenly he felt the ties release, and his hands flew up to wrap in her curls. He pulled her head down to kiss her, panting into her mouth as she sucked on his tongue. His hips snapped upwards and she mewled, the vibrations against his tongue making him pulse between her legs.

She ground down against him again, but the scrap of cloth between them was dulling the sensation in the most infuriating way. He reached down and wrapped his hand around her knickers, and pulled. Hard. There was a tearing noise, and Hermione let out one of the sexiest sounds he'd ever heard her make as he ripped her knickers from her body.

'Gods, Draco,' she moaned, rubbing her now exposed slit along his shaft, making it wet with her juices. He gritted his teeth and grabbed her arse, raising her slightly out of his lap to stop himself from losing control. She met his gaze, and his thoughts must have been evident on his face as she nodded, apparently satisfied to see that she had reduced him to a shaking, needy mess.

She raised herself up further, reached between them and positioned him at her entrance. Fixing her eyes on his, she sank onto him slowly, rolling her hips to prolong the sensation. He wrapped his hands around her hips, biting his lip as his head fell back against the chair, grunting with the effort of remaining still. He desperately wanted to slam into her, but he was enjoying this too much.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she settled against his lap, fully sheathing him, and he returned his gaze to hers. Her cheeks and chest were flushed pink, but the fire in her eyes burned as strong as ever.

'Fuck, you're amazing,' he breathed, and a small smile spread across her lips as she raised up and brought herself down again. He held her hips, helping her to maintain her pace, and her head fell back as she rode him, hard and deep. One of his hands left her hips and raised to grasp the base of her throat loosely, before tracing slowly down her body, his fingertips flickering against her collarbone, her nipples, her hip bone, before coming to rest between them. He pressed his thumb to her clit, her movement in his lap enough to create friction, and she gasped again.

'Draco ... Gods, so good ... '

'That's it, Princess, cum for me.' She dropped her head to his shoulder as she contracted around him, grasping his neck as she rode through her orgasm. Before she could even relax, he pitched forward, still inside her, and lowered her to the floor by the fireplace. Her eyelids were heavy with pleasure, and she whimpered as he began to thrust into her, her nails digging at his back.

'Draco, I - '

'I know, Gods I can feel it. I want you to cum again. You feel so fucking good. Come on, Love, once more for me, I'm so close.' He buried his nose in the crook of her neck and held her tight against him as he fucked her, the little shudders racking her body sending him speeding towards his end.

Her breath hitched as she came again, clenching around him tighter than before, and he rasped her name into her ear as his control snapped and he followed her over the edge. Spots appeared in his vision as his body locked with pleasure briefly, then he was relaxing into her.

He rolled onto his back, taking her with him, so that she ended up splayed across him. She pressed lazy kisses to his chest as he played with her curls. She raised her head to look at him, and the love he saw in her eyes took him by surprise.

'Thank you for today,' she mumbled, her chin resting on his chest. He pushed her hair out of her face tenderly.

'Like I said, anything for you, Princess.'